#Ageism #Itsyourchoice

This past weekend I was shopping for Nike Free shoes to try for running. I have noticed that my ankles are not very flexible. I was listening to a running podcast where the speaker Jessica Leggio #runpainfree was talking about weak feet due to the structure of shoes that provide too much support and never allow your feet and ankles to strengthen. Her recommendation was Nike Free 5.0 shoes. See link below to the podcast.

I got to thinking – Evolution generally occurs because of environmental changes, physical changes and need to adapt. We as age, we humans need to adapt and change (evolve) as we will begin to live to over 100 years of age. Yes, think about retiring at 60-65 yrs old and still having 40-45 years left to live. How do we want to spend those 40- 45 years. I digressed……

It’s a fact that as we age, our ankles stiffen and our flexibility decreases. So, I was met by an “older” saleswoman who was very helpful in finding the shoes I was looking for. She said she wore them and loved them because of their comfort and flexibility. I told her I was getting them to strengthen my feet and ankles, because of their flexibility. She sighed and said that she ran a bit – max 4 miles but she can’t run more than that because she is 65 and old. I replied really? I’m 63 and training for a mini triathalon and have a ½ marathon coming up in 2 weeks. She looked amazed and said that she couldn’t do that “at her age”.

What does “I can’t do that at my age” really mean? Is it because we are told that, or because we believe it to be so. By 2050, one out of five of us, almost two billion people, will be age 60 and up. Longevity is a fundamental hallmark of human progress. – Ashton Applewhite

It’s something to think about… Are we older people, not qualified for jobs that younger people have, should we sit at home and spend those 40 years watching TV and sitting and stiffening up?

It’s really your choice.

I encourage you to listen to Ashton Applewhite’s TED talk on Ageism – you will be amazed. Below is a link to the transcript.

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Author: turning60andbeyond

Sandi Feaster is a registered nurse and health educator. She has worked in the corporate world as well as taken care of people with chronic health conditions. Sandi is convinced that we can improve our lives by educating ourselves and learning how we can curate the life we want. It may seem simple, but exercise and eating healthy food is the foundation of a longer, healthier and engaged life.
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